In Zhu Xian, people start to rise from plundering entries

Chapter 804 Lu Xueqi and Biyao

"Clerks, clerks! I'm hauling a cartload of my own homegrown grain, what do I need clerks for!"

"It's no use arguing with me. If you're so capable, go argue with the town government. Rules are rules."

Su Han stepped into the inn and saw two people arguing in front of the counter. One was a farmer dressed in short clothes, his face flushed red, his large hands clenched into fists and pressed on the counter; the other was a thin, long-faced middle-aged man, wearing a half-new blue cloth robe, holding an account book in his hand, his expression indifferent.

The farmer saw Su Han enter, glanced at him, lowered his voice slightly, but was still fuming: "Anyway, I have to get this cartload of grain over there today. Those families behind the mountain have been without food for three days!"

The middle-aged man in the green robe slammed the account book on the counter: "If you're running out of food, go to the town government. What good will it do you to come to me? I run an inn, not a granary."

Su Han sat down on a nearby bench without saying a word. The waiter then brought over a bowl of tea and placed it in front of him, saying softly, "Sir, please don't mind. Manager Chen and Brother Sun are used to arguing; they have a small fight every three days and a big fight every five days, but they're fine afterward."

Su Han nodded, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. The argument continued for a while longer, until the farmer, Brother Sun, finally lost. He stormed off, slamming the door shut behind him. Manager Chen, in his green robe, stood there, sighed, rubbed his temples, and turned to look at Su Han.

"Would you like to stay at the inn, sir?"

"Stay for two nights." Su Han took out a few pieces of silver from his bundle and placed them on the counter.

Manager Chen took the money, registered his name, and handed him a key: "Room number three, the second room on the left upstairs. Meals are on the first floor, served morning and evening. Just tell the waiter what you'd like to eat."

Before going upstairs, Su Han casually asked, "Shopkeeper, is the place behind the mountain that Brother Sun mentioned inside Fire Cloud Valley?"

Manager Chen was engrossed in keeping accounts when he heard this, his pen paused, and he glanced at Su Han. There was something in that glance that Su Han recognized—the mixture of awe and wariness that would appear on the faces of mortals when they heard the words "Immortal Sect" on the streets.

"Sir, you're from out of town, aren't you?" Manager Chen's tone was still polite, but noticeably colder than before. "Fire Cloud Valley isn't much to see; it's just rocky mountains, not even a single tree grows there. If you'd like to enjoy some scenery, sir, you should travel forty li east. There's a Green Stream Mountain there; the scenery is excellent."

Su Han hummed in agreement: "I heard that quite a few people live in Fire Cloud Valley."

Manager Chen lowered his head and continued keeping the accounts, his voice as flat as plain water: "There are a few families, but they're in a remote, impoverished area; there's nothing worth seeing."

Su Han didn't say anything more, took the keys, and went upstairs. Room number three in the "Heavenly" section was at the end of the corridor. Opening the window, one could see the view to the south of the town—a dirt road stretched out from the town entrance, winding its way to the dark red hills. Sparse shrubs grew on both sides of the dirt road, their leaves a dull gray, covered with a layer of dust. There were few pedestrians on the road, only a yellow dog slowly running along the side of the road, stopping every few steps to look back, and then continuing to run.

Su Han stood by the window, gazing at the red hills for a long time. Sunlight shone on the rust-colored rocks, its heat reflecting back, and even from this distance, he could feel the dry, scorching atmosphere. He gently tapped the windowsill twice with his fingertips, sensing a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from them—the spiritual energy of this entire land was thin and scattered, like a forest scorched by a great fire, with only scattered embers still emitting wisps of smoke.

He closed the window and went downstairs for lunch. He was the only customer at the table; Manager Chen sat behind the counter flipping through the account books, while the waiter leaned against the doorframe, dozing. Su Han slowly ate a plate of stir-fried vegetables and a bowl of rice, eating very carefully, even picking the last grain of rice from the bottom of the bowl. After lunch, he left the inn and strolled around the town. Chitu Town wasn't big; one could walk from one end to the other in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. He noticed several notices posted on the street from the town government, written in hasty handwriting: "From today onwards, grain will be uniformly distributed by the town government; each household shall collect it with a receipt; those who smuggle will be punished," and signed by both the town government and the "Fire Cloud Valley Protectorate."

The words "Fire Cloud Valley Protector's Residence" caught Su Han's attention. Before he came, the sect leader had mentioned to him that a rogue cultivator named Meng, known as Mr. Meng, lived in Fire Cloud Valley. He had moved there decades ago, supposedly to cultivate in seclusion, and had some dealings with the people in the town at the foot of the mountain. The sect leader had spoken of this in a rather indifferent tone, adding only one comment: "That Meng fellow's cultivation isn't much, but he has quite the temper."

Su Han stood in front of the notice for a while, and roughly understood what was going on. He turned around and walked back. When he passed the east end of the town, he saw a group of children squatting under the wall playing with pebbles. One of the little girls with a pigtail suddenly looked up at him, then tugged at the sleeve of her friend next to her. All the children looked up and stared at him.

Su Han smiled at them. The children all stood up and ran away at once, except for the little girl with the pigtails sticking up. She stood there, tilting her head and looking him over.

"Who are you?" the little girl asked.

"My surname is Su, and I come from the north."

What's to the north?

"It's a very far place. Are you from this town?"

"I'm from the valley!" The little girl puffed out her chest, proudly patting her gray cloth jacket. "My father is a hunter in the valley, and my mother is a farmer. Uncle Su, what do you do?"

Su Han squatted down to be at eye level with the little girl: "I'm... just wandering around."

"Oh." The little girl seemed dissatisfied with the answer, and looked him up and down again. "Then do you know how to fight?"

Su Han was taken aback: "Why do you ask that?"

"Because there was a fight in the valley a few days ago." The little girl's voice suddenly lowered, and the light in her eyes dimmed. "A group of people rushed into the valley to steal things, injuring several people and taking away my family's three chickens. My dad chased after them and fought them, but he got hit with a stick, and his arm was swollen for several days."

Su Han's gaze darkened: "Who hit me?"

The little girl looked around, leaned closer, and whispered, "They're from the next town. They say the land in Fire Cloud Valley belongs to them, and that we've taken their land. But we've lived there for decades! There's a Grandpa Meng in the valley who knows magic, but he wasn't home that day. When he came back, he didn't go to settle accounts with those people; he just told us to be careful in the future."

Su Han was silent for a moment, then gently patted the little girl's head: "Is your father's arm better?" (End of Chapter)